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'America has DOGE fever': States from NJ to TX draft similar initiatives
as federal leaders celebrate'

<https://www.foxnews.com/politics/america-has-doge-fever-states-from-nj-tx-draft-doge-initiatives-federal-leaders-celebrate>

'The spread of DOGE-centric legislation and bureaucracies has taken off
like a SpaceX rocket in several states across the country since Elon
Musk and lawmakers like Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, and Rep. Aaron Bean,
R-Fla., began their work this year.

Bean, chair of the bipartisan DOGE Caucus, was asked about copycat
initiatives popping up around the country and remarked, "America has
DOGE fever."

"As elected officials, we must ensure we are good stewards of taxpayer
dollars. This means we must identify, investigate and eliminate wasteful spending."

With a governor’s race in November and President Donald Trump only
losing their state by a historically small margin, Garden State
Republicans appeared bullish this week as they put forth a proposal to
"bring DOGE to New Jersey."

‘DOGE MEETS CONGRESS’: LAWMAKER LAUNCHES NEW PANEL ON GOVERNMENT
EFFICIENCY

DOGE Caucus logo
The Congressional DOGE Caucus is led by Rep. Aaron Bean. (House of Representatives/Getty)

GOP Assemblymen Alex Sauickie and Christopher DePhillips recently
introduced Resolution 213 to create the NJ Delegation on Government
Efficiency within the Treasury Department.

Sauickie quoted former President Ronald Reagan’s 1985 retort that
"government is like a baby – an alimentary canal with a big appetite at
one end and no responsibility at the other."

"Except babies, if raised and disciplined rightly, grow into adults who
usually become productive members of society. Those adopting our state
budgets show no such discipline," Sauickie said, adding that it is time
for "grownups to take responsibility and say ‘no’" to reckless spending.

Some Trenton lawmakers have painted New Jersey’s financial outlook as a "fiscal cliff," and DePhillips blamed outgoing Gov. Phil Murphy for
claiming he inherited the problem from Republican Gov. Chris Christie.

"Taxpayers want accountability for how their hard-earned money is
spent," DePhillips said.

He also called on Murphy to "stop fighting Trump" and lower New Jersey’s business taxes before the third-founded state in the union "loses out"
on the potential upswing of the new administration.

Republican state Sen. Joe Pennacchio added in a recent Fox News Digital interview that he would be forming a DOGE committee in the state
legislature.

"We're mirroring what the federal government and what [Musk is] doing,"
said Pennacchio.

TOP DOGE LAWMAKER SAYS TRUMP ALREADY RACKING UP WINS

trenton_makes_bridge_NJ
The "Trenton Makes" bridge that spans the Delaware River between
Trenton, New Jersey, and Morrisville, Pennsylvania. (Getty)

This week, Kentucky lawmakers also prioritized government efficiency
measures, with Republican state Rep. Jared Bauman forwarding a bill to establish a working group to help the state treasury modernize its tax collections and accounting.

In Texas, lawmakers in both the state Senate and House are working on DOGE-centric initiatives.

Senate President Pro-Tempore Brandon Creighton, a Republican, first
oversaw the passage of the strongest DEI ban in the U.S. during the 2023 session, which eliminated billions in taxpayer-funded waste and
refocused public universities on education over social issues.

After DOGE formed at the federal level, Creighton said Texas is already
a model for how a jurisdiction that prioritizes government efficiency
will work.

"Seeing the swift action by President Trump and Elon Musk with DOGE is a welcome and necessary new era in Washington, D.C. – and I know they are
just getting started," Creighton told Fox News Digital on Wednesday.

"Many have said that Washington should take notes from Texas – because
the Texas economic engine is proof that when government is committed to efficiency, accountability and conservative results, taxpayers win."

Meanwhile, Republican Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, officially the president of
the Senate, announced a bill late last month called "Texas DOGE –
Improving Government Efficiency," according to Bloomberg.

Another reported bill by Republican state Sen. Bryan Hughes would form a
DOGE office in the executive branch.

Meanwhile, the Texas House is considering forming a DOGE committee to
analyze government efficiency through a 13-member panel.

St. Louis
The St. Louis, Missouri, skyline along the Mississippi River (Getty)

It would investigate fraud claims, inefficient use of tax dollars, and
the use of AI, according to FOX-7.

In Missouri, Republican state Rep. Ben Baker told the St. Louis
Post-Dispatch that Missourians believe the state government is not as
efficient or responsive as it should be.

"We want to look into that," said Baker.


Baker recently announced he was named to lead the state’s new DOGE
Standing Committee, adding his work will "align with federal efforts."

In New Hampshire, newly-inaugurated Gov. Kelly Ayotte’s first executive
order created a 15-member Commission on Government Efficiency (COGE).

"COGE will make us smarter than ever before when it comes to saving
taxpayer dollars and finding better ways to serve the people of our
state," she said in her inaugural address.

It will be led by former Gov. Craig Benson and businessman Andy Crews.

North Carolina also sought to get in on the DOGE trend.

Republican House Speaker Destin Hall unveiled the new NC Select
Committee on Government Efficiency.

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Cape hatteras in North Carolina
Cape Hatteras, North Carolina (Reuters)

State Reps. Keith Kidwell and John Torbett, both Republicans, will lead
the initiative, looking into waste, duplication, mismanagement and constitutional violations.

"As the new Trump administration rightfully takes aim at Washington
D.C.’s wasteful spending and inefficient bureaucracy, it is time for us
in Raleigh to do the same," Kidwell said in a statement.

Bean, the U.S. House’s DOGE leader, further remarked on the collective efforts:


"It’s exciting to see states pick up the DOGE baton, and I applaud their efforts to improve government efficiency and stop the abuse of taxpayer dollars."

Some in Congress, however, have cast doubt on DOGE. Rep. Seth Magaziner, D-R.I., said at an anti-DOGE rally that some of the actions at the
federal level are "completely illegal."'

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